Nikolas Sarkozy Charged With Corruption, Influence Peddling

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy. Photo by EPA/HORACIO VILLALOBOS.

France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been charged with corruption and influence peddling, French prosecutors said Wednesday.

The decision came after Sarkozy was questioned for 15 hours, marking the first time a French ex-head of state had been taken into custody in a criminal investigation, according to French media reports.

Sarkozy's lawyer and two magistrates had also been interrogated as part of acorruption probe involving the former French president. Investigators are trying to find out whether lawyer Thierry Herzog helped Sarkozy pervert the courts of justice and sought to provide him inside information on another probe.

Sarkozy allegedly promised a magistrate to have a prestigious role in Monaco which could carry a maximum sentence of 10 years under French law.